Page 45 - Dom Thomas News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

Australia travel bubble for early 2021 agreed in principle by Cabinet - Ardern Monday, December 14, 2020 RNZ Cabinet has agreed in principle to establish a travel bubble with Australia early next year, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says. Speaking from about 2pm, Ardern has welcomed attendees to what is expected to be the final post-Cabinet media briefing of 2020, "a year no one would have imagined". She says ministers have discussed travel bubbles with Cook Islands and Australia this afternoon. A travel bubble with Australia can be expected in the first quarter of 2021 "pendin...

State home openings in Porirua a welcome start while hundreds remain in motels Hamish Cardwell © RNZ /Dom Thomas The 29 new one-and-two bedroom units were blessed this morning, with more than 50 dwellings in the city north of Wellington due for completion by early next year. Rents in the city are through the roof, and house prices soaring. Will Pennington from Crown state housing agency Kāinga Ora Porirua said the homes were a welcome Christmas gift for tenants in the economically-deprived Cannons Creek suburb. "[These are] brand new, double-glazed, carpeted, warm healthy h...

Prison officers' union rejects chief ombudsman's scathing report © RNZ / Claire Eastham-Farrelly The union for prison officers is rejecting a report pointing to the cruel treatment of inmates and people being locked in their cells for up to 23 hours at a time. Chief ombudsman Judge Peter Boshier paid a surprise visit to Paremoremo prison in Auckland and identified two breaches of the UN Convention Against Torture and a culture of containment rather than rehabilitation. Boshier found the length of time prisoners were being held in their cells at the country's only maximum security prison pre...

Former deputy speaker expected Trevor Mallard’s legal dispute to be costly when agreeing to it Katie Scotcher © RNZ / Dom Thomas Former deputy speaker Anne Tolley expected Speaker Trevor Mallard's legal dispute to be costly when she agreed to tax payers footing the bill. More than $300,000 from the public purse was spent in defamation proceedings after Speaker Trevor Mallard wrongly claimed an accused rapist was working on Parliament's premises. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Mallard's comments were a mistake, but he should remain in his role as speaker. The party has ...

National wants to question Parliament's Speaker over costly legal dispute Katie Scotcher © RNZ / Dom Thomas The National Party will attempt to question Parliament's Speaker over a costly legal dispute before a select committee. RNZ was told last night the Labour Party would block any attempt by the opposition to make Trevor Mallard appear. This morning Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told  Morning Report over the years opposition parties had claimed no-confidence in the Speaker and "unfortunately, it tips into the political from time to time". "I have confidence in the Speak...